Pinin Farina’s work on the last five Ferrari 250 Europa GTs paid dividends with Ferrari’s first true production model, the Ferrari 250 GT. The coachbuilder’s facility was at capacity, and a new factory was under construction. So production of the Ferrari 250 GT was shifted to Carrozzeria Boano.

Mario Boano and son Gian Paolo established the firm in 1954 after they left Carrozzeria Ghia. Their first Ferrari was a one-off 250 GT cabriolet in early 1956.

Their Ferrari 250 Boano GT was built in 1956 and ’57, the 64 examples near mirror images of Pinin Farina’s 250 Europa GT prototypes.

Production was two per week when Mario Boano had an opportunity to set up and run the Fiat styling center, so he slowly wound down production and closed his firm. He passed the work to a former key employee, Ezio Ellena.

Ellena formed Carrozzeria Ellena with former Boano partner Luciano Pollo. The Turin-based firm made 49 Ferrari 250s, characterized by a slightly taller roofline, into mid 1958. Pinin Farina then took over the Ferrari 250 GT Boano production in its new facility, introducing an all-new design.

Boano and Ellena built the lion’s share of Ferrari 250 GT Boanos. But they weren’t the only coachbuilders making coupes on the chassis. Milan-based Carrozzeria Zagato was well-known for its lightweight competition machines, and its run of five Ferrari 250 GTs was nothing short of spectacular. Two were made in 1956, two in ’57, and the last in ’59; one from 1956 and one from ’57 were Italian GT Championship winners.

Pinin Farina also kept active with the model. In addition to a series of beautiful cabriolets, the coachbuilder made two Ferrari 250 Speciales in 1957. Both took styling cues, including covered front headlights, fender lines, and general proportions, from a seminal one-off Ferrari, Superfast 1.

They also designed a series of competition berlinettas that were manufactured by Modena’s Carrozzeria Scaglietti. The styling of these Ferrari 250 Competiziones had their origins in Pinin Farina’s Ferrari 250 Europa GT Speciales, and were an integral part in establishing the Ferrari legend.